Steam-propelled vehicle



J. A. DOBLE.

STEAM PROPELLED VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 15, 1912.

1,364,488. Patented Jan. 4, 1921.

INVENTOB HA5 A TTORNE -S UNITED STATES PATENT omen:

JOHN A. DOBLE, or sex FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIAJASSIGNOVR TO DOIBLE LABORA- roams, or SAN rmorsoo, CALIFOBNIA'A CORPORATION or CALIFORNIA.

STEAM-PROPELLED VEHICLE.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 4, 1921.

Application filed May 15. 1917. Serial No. 168.698.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN A. Donna, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam- Propelled Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to steam-propelled vehicles and particularly to the steam generating plant of suchvehicles.

An ob'ect of the invention is to produce a more e ciently-operating generating plant.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide means for the more eflicientcondensa tion of the exhaust steam.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for causing the exhaust steam to do useful work and consequently lower its temperature before it passes to the condenser.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which, with the fore-, going, will be set forthat len h in the following description, where I s all outline in full, that form of the invention which I have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the presentspecification. In said drawings I have shown several specific embodiments of my generic invention, but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the forms shown, because the invention asexpressed in the claims may be embodied in a plurality of forms.

Referring to said drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation, somewhat diagrammatic, ofa simple form of the apparatus of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation, somewhat diagrammatic, ofanother form of the apparatus'of my invention including additional elements.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of a portion of the electric system including the control means.

The apparatus of my invention is applicable to steam generating plants for general use, and is more particularl adaptable to the steam-generating plants 0 vehicles, such as automobiles and trucks. Steam condensers, in the form of automobile radiators, have been used, but these condensers have been inefiicient and in many instances have been incapable of performing their required duty. These radiators or condensers have been cooled by the air which passes through them, due to the movement of the vehicle along the road, and when the vehicle is traveling slow under heavy load, the amount of air passmg through the radiator is insufiicient to condense the steam. In accordance with my invention, I cause the exhaust steam to do useful.work before it enters the condenser, thereby reducing the temperature of the steam and I employ a portion of the energy taken from the exhaust steam for causing a positive movement of air through the radiator or condenser. In this way, the steam is efiiciently cooled and condensed in the radiator. The condenser is invariably arranged at the front of the vehicle, and the steam-engine or power plant is arranged in the rear of the vehicle and is connected. to the rear axle. i

In the construction shown in Fig. 1, I have shown a simple form of the apparatus. Arranged behind the radiator or condenser 2 is an exhaust steam turbine 3, into which the exhaust steam passes through the pipe land from which it passes into the top of the radiator through the pipe 5. Secured to the turbine shaft and arranged directly behind the radiator is a fan 6, whichdraws air through the air passages in the radiator. The speed of the fan and consequently the amountof air passing through the radiator, will vary with the amount of steam passing through the turbine and into the radiator. The water and uncondensed steam discharges from the radiator through the pipe 7 which conducts it to a suitable tank or hot well, whence it is pumped back into the boiler.

Mounted on the turbine shaft, preferably, in the rear of the turbine, is an electric generator 8, which is connected through a suit- .able current and voltage control means 9 with a storage-battery 12, from which current is drawn for operating the various elec trical devices on the vehicle. The control means 9 closes the electric circuit when the generated voltage is sufliciently high to charge the battery.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a construction in i which the power developed by the exhaust steam not only operates the fan and produces electrical energy, but also drives the various mechanisms for producing combustion of liquid fuel in the steam generator. Any type of burner may be'employed for producing the necessary combustion and any necessary apparatus may be driven by the exhaust steam turbine. In the present construction I have shown a steam-generator 10 having a burner including a nozzle 13 to which fuel is pumped and into which high pressure air for atomizing the fuel is introduced. The. spray thus produced is ignited and air under low pressure is blown into the resultant flame to complete combustion. From the generator the steam passes to the engine 20, whence the exhaust to which is connected the fuel pump 21. It

is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this combination of blowers and pump and that any combination of mechanisms may be connected to the shaft, depending upon the type of burner employed.

The dynamo electric machine 15 is grounded on one side and the other side is connected through the reversible current switch 23 and the manually-operated switch 22 with the storage battery 24, the other side of which is also grounded. The switch 23 is closed by the presence of sufiicient flux in the pole 34 which'is provided with. two windings 35 and 36 wound in opposite directions, the winding 35 being in series with the dynamo electric machine and the winding 36 being shunted across the dynamo electric machine. The presence of a sufficient potential across the terminals of the dynamo electric machine energizes winding 36 sufficiently toclose the switch,.thereby causing current to flow through the winding 35. If

the current in winding 35 is opposed to the 'current in winding 36,- the flux produced thereby opposes the flux dueto current in winding 36, permitting the spring 37 to open the switch, which also serves as the armature of the 'electro magnet 34. When the dynamo electric machine acts asa genera'tor, the switch 23 is closed, allowing the generator to charge the battery. When current flows in the opposite direction, that is,

when the battery is discharging, the switch 23is open. When the dynamo electric machine acts as a motor, current flows from the storage battery through the wire .30 and 'back through the wire 30 to the dynamo electrlc'machme, this circuit shunting the reverslble current switch, which is then open.

Con-

The dynamo electric machine operates as a motor when the burner is started and drives the burner blowers and pump before steam has been generated to operate the tubine. Arranged in the circuit 30, 30 are switches 28 and 29 which are controlled respectively by the boiler temperature and pressure operated devices 31 and 32. Connected to the circuit 30, 30 is a. grounded circuit 27 in which is arranged the magnetic clutch 16 and in a parallel grounded circuit is arranged the primary and make and break device ofthe transformer or induction coil 25, in the secondary circuit of which, the spark plug 26 is placed. The circuit 30, 30 is fed from the storage battery or the dynamo electric machine, depending upon whether it is operating as a motor or a generator. An increase in boiler temperature to a predetermined maximum operates the device 31 to open the circuit, thereby opening the magnetic clutch 16 and extinguishing the ignition. Device 32 operates similarly upon an abnormal increase in pressure. When the burner is to be started, the switch 22 is closed and the blowers and pump are driven by the dynamo electric machine 15 operating as a motor with current from the storage battery 24. When the turbine is brought up to speed by the exhaust steam, the dynamo electric machine is converted into a generator, which supplies the ignition current and the magnetic clutch current and which operates to charge the storage battery.

I claim:

1. In a steam-propelled vehicle, an air cooled condenser, an exhaust steam turbine connected to the condenser, a fan driven by said turbine and arranged behind the con denser and an electric generator connected to the turbine.

2. In a steam-propelled vehicle, a steam generator, a liquid fuel burner associated with said steam generator, an air-cooled condenser, a fan arranged behind said condenser, an exhaust steam turbine connected to said fan, a dynamo electric machine connected to said-turbine, a slip clutch between said dynamo electric machine and the turbine, and a fuel ump driven by said dynamo electric mac ine.

3. In a steam-propelled vehicle, a steam generator, a liquid fuel burnerassociated with said steam generator, an air-cooled condenser, a fan arranged behind said condenser, an exhaust steam turbine connected to said fan, a dynamo electric machine connected to said turbine, a slip clutch between said dynamo electric machine and the turbine, a fuel ump connected to said dynamo electric mac inc and a clutch between the motor generator and the fuel pump.

4. In a steam-propelled vehicle, a steam generator, a liquid fuel burner associated with said steam generator, an air-cooled condenser, a fan arranged behind said con"- denser, an exhaust steam turblne connected to said fan, a dynamo electric machine connected to said turbine, a slip clutch between said dynamo electric machine and the turbine, means for introducing air and fuel to said burner connected to said dynamo electric machine and a clutch between said dynamo electric machine and said means.

5.' In a steam-propelled vehicle, a steam generator, a liquid fuel burner associated with said steam generator, an air-cooled condenser, a fan arranged behind said condenser, an exhaust steam turbine connected to said fan, a dynamo electric machine connected to said turbine, and a fuel pump driven by said dynamo electric machine.

6. In a team-propelled vehicle, a steam generator, a liquid fuel burner associated with said steam generator, an air-cooled condenser, a fan arranged behind said condenser, an exhaust steam turbine connected to said fan, a dynamo electric machine connected to said turbine, a fuel pump connected to said dynamo electric machine and a clutch between the dynamo electric machine and the fuel pump.

7. In a steam-propelled vehicle, a steam generator, a liquid fuel burner associated with said steam generator, an air-cooled condenser, a fan arranged behind said condenser, an exhaust steam turbine connected between said dynamo electric machine and said means. 1

8. In a steam-propelled vehicle, a steam generator, a liquid fuel burner associated with said steam generator, an air-cooled condenser, a fan arranged behind said condenser, an exhaust steam turbine connected tosaid fan, a dynamo electric machine connected to said turbine, a fuel pump connected to said generator and a magnetic clutch between the dynamo electric machine and the fuel pump.

9. In a steam-propelled vehicle, a steam generator, a liquid fuel burner associated with said steam generator, an air-cooled condenser, a fan arranged behind said condenser, an exhaust steam turbine connected to said fan, a dynamo electric machine connected to said turbine, a fuel pump and an 'airblower for said burner connected to said dynamo electric machine and a -magnetic clutch between said pump and blower and said dynamo electric machine.

10. In a steam-propelled vehicle, a steam generator, a liquidlfuel burner associated with said steam generator, an air-cooled condenser, 'a fan arranged behind said condenser an exhaust steam turbine connected to said fan, a dynamo electric machine connected to said turbine, a fuel pump connected to said dynamo electric machine, a magnetic clutch between the dynamo electric machine and the fuel pump, an electric circuit connecting the dynamo electric machine and the magnetic clutch and means operative by varying conditions in said steam generator for opening said circuit.

11. In a steampropelled vehicle, a steam generator, a liquid fuel burner associated with said steam generator, an air-cooled condenser, a fan arranged behind said condenser, an exhaust steam turbine connected to said fan, a dynamo electric machine connected to said turbine, a fuel pump connected to said dynamo electric machine, a magnetic clutch between the dynamo electric machine and the fuel pump, an electric circuit connecting the dynamo electric machine and the magnetic clutch and means operative by an increase of pressure in the steam generator to a predetermined maximum for opening said circuit.

12. In a steam-propelled vehicle, a steam generator, a liquid fuel burner associated with said steam generator, an ,electric ignltion device associated with said burner, an air-cooled condenser, a fan arranged behind said condenser, an exhaust steam turbine connected to said fan, a dynamo electric machine connected to said turbine, a fuel pump connected to said dynamo electric machine, a magnetic clutch between the pump and the dynamo electric machine, an electric circuit including the dynamo electric machine, the magnetic clutch and the ignition means, and means for opening said circult.

14. In a steam-propelled vehicle, a steam generator, a liquid fuel burner associated. with said steam generator, an electric ignition device associated with said burner, an air-cooled condenser, a fan arranged behind said condenser, an exhaust steam turbine connected to said fan, a dynamo electric machine connected to said turbine, a fuel pump connected tosaid dynamo electric machine, a magnetic clutch between the pump and the dynamo electric machine, an electric circuit including the dynamo electric machine, the

.magnetic clutch and the ignition means, and

means operative by varying conditions in said steam generator for controlling said circuit.

15. In a steam-propelled vehicle, a steamgenerator, a liquid fuel burner associated with said steam generator, an electric ignition device associated with said burner, an exhaust steam turbine, a} dynamo electric machine connected to said turbine. a blower for introducing, air into saidburner, a mag- .netic clutch between the blower and the dynamo electric machine, and an electric circuit including the dynamo electric machine, the magnetic clutch and the ignition device.

16. In a steam-propelled vehicle, a steamgenerator, a liquid fuel burner associated with said steam generator, an electric ignition device associated with said burner, an exhaust steam turbine, a dynamo electric machine connected to said turbine, a blower for introducing air into said burner, a magnetic clutch between the blower and the dynamo electric machine, an electric circuit including the dynamo electric machine, magnetic clutch and ignition device and a storage battery in parallel with said circuit.

In testimonywhereof I have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco, California, this 7th day of May, 1917.

' JOHN A. DOBLE. In presence of- H. G. PRos'r 

